Tips for preparing to weather the next storm.
The National Weather Services has already worked its way through an alphabet of named storms this year, but we all still need some reminders of living through tropical storms and hurricanes safely.
1. Generators
If strong winds knock out your power, use extra care when using a gas-powered generator. When Hurricane Laura struck Louisiana just a few weeks ago, faulty use of generators caused at least eight deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Important things to remember are to never use a gas-powered generator indoors, said the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute. Place them outside, at least 20 feet from your home with the exhaust directed away from windows and doors.
If you need to use it while it’s still raining outdoors, place it in a generator-specific tent for protection. Do not leave it out in the rain. Only use extension cords rated for heavy-duty outdoor use and be sure to store extra gasoline properly — in ANSI-approved containers kept in a cool, well-ventilated area.
2. Food safety
If you lose power for an extended period of time, use USDA guidelines to determine what’s still safe to eat and what must be thrown away.
The USDA says that food in your refrigerator will stay safe for up to four hours during a power outage, but you’ll want to keep the door closed as much as possible. Food in a freezer can stay good for about 48 hours — 24 hours if it is half full and the doors remain closed.
Once power returns, any frozen food that still contains ice crystals or is at 40 degrees or below should still be OK to eat. The USDA has a list of what to keep and what to discard at foodsafety.gov.
3. Tidy up
Tropical Storm Beta is a slowmoving storm, so its wind and water — whatever they end up being — is expected to linger. If you haven’t already brought in lawn or patio furniture or potted plants that can be thrown around, it’s not a bad idea to do that. Tuck them in your garage or carport and feel just a tad bit safer.
4. Your landscaping
If a tidal surge or heavy rain left water standing in your yard, you may not need to rush for a big fix.
Initial cleanup should include removing any debris or fallen branches to keep rotting debris from spreading to healthy plants. Beyond that — depending on what was in the standing water or floodwater — your plants may just need a good rinse with plain water, said Angela Chandler, author of the Garden Academy blog and consultant to Urban Harvest. Most plants just need sunlight for their own natural recovery.
Standing water can leave your soil oxygen deprived, so the less it is disturbed, the faster its normal oxygen levels will return, Chandler said.
If the rains or a tidal surge left several feet of water where you live, you’ll want to be concerned about what else is in the water — such as leaking fuel and oil as we had with Hurricane Harvey flooding.
In a scenario with hydrocarbon contamination, Chandler uses MicroLife Ocean Harvest 4-2-3, a sea-based fertilizer with minerals that reduce plant stress.
If standing water has prompted tree leaves to turn yellow, let them wither and fall off naturally; don’t prune whole stems or branches. Just because the leaves have died doesn’t mean their branches are dead.
If your lawn or low-lying areas of your yard were under water, try aerating it with a lawn spiker or aerator after it is no long soggy. Nourish it with ¼-inch layer of compost or an organic fertilizer and use liquid iron on any areas that have turned pale from prolonged wet conditions.